Brush holder and display device



April 22, 1958 l. cHERMAYEl-F 2,831,573

BRUSH HOLDER AND DISPLAY DEVICE AFiled Nov. 21, 195s lIlHllllilllNllll' ill BWM

Unite BRUSH HOLDER AND DISPLAY DEVICE Application November 21, 1956, Serial No. 623,699

2 Claims. (Cl. 20G-80) This invention relates to a brush holder and display device and, more particularly, to a device for displaying and holding paint brushes so that the bristles thereof are at all times visible, and may readily be covered or uncovered by the user.

Heretofore, brushes particularly paint brushes, have been commonly sold or stored with their bristles exposed in order that the purchaser thereof can readily determine the quality of the bristle. This, however, also exposes the brush bristle to unnecessary handling in the sale thereof, and results in a certain amount of damage to the bristles of such brushes displayed in this fashion. It is also a practice 'to completely cover a brush bristle so as to protect it, but this has a disadvantage in that the purchaser is unable to feel the bristle and determine its quality to his satisfaction. This is a considerable disadvantage in the sale of such brushes.

According to the present invention it is proposed to provide a brush holder and display device in which the bristle is protected by a flexible transparent member which is slidable within the brush holder, thereby avoiding the above mentioned problems.

Thus, the present invention provides an adequate covering for a brush bristle which is readily slidable so as to uncover the bristle or to recover it, the bristle being visible at all times.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a brush holder and display device which will make the brush bristle easy to inspect.

Another object is to provide a brush holder and display device in which the bristle is protected except during those periods when it is desired to inspect the bristles.

Still another object is to provide, in such a device, an effective means for exhibiting the brush while not subjecting it to undue damage from exposure of the bristles.

These and other objects of my invention become more apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of my brush display device showing how the bristle cover is readily slidable so as to expose or cover the brush bristle.

Figure 2 illustrates how the device would appear when the bristles are completely exposed.

Figure 3 is a back view of my display device showing how the ends of the transparent bristle covering material are joined together.

Figure 4 is a side view of my brush display device taken along the lines 4 4 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Essentially, the present invention involves a brush holder and display device comprising a backing member' having therein a pair of substantially parallel elongated slots. These slots are preferably of equal length and spaced apart in a manner corresponding to the width of the brush to be displayed thereon. The slots are spaced from each other a distance approximately equal to, or

States Patent C f Ctr 2,831,573 Patented Apr.` 22, 1958 ICC slightly greater than, therwidths of such brushes, as will hereinafter be more apparent. There is also provided a bristle covering means which is slidable within said slots and is composed of a sheet of exible transparent material such as an acetate type plastic. The bristle cover is slidable within the slots of the backing member and in one position thereof completely covers the bristles, while in another position leaves them completely exposed. Thus, the bristle cover, while being considerably shorter than the length of the slots in the backing member is at the same time longer than the brush bristles.

The transparent covering means has the transverse ends thereof passed through the slots in the backing member and joined together behind the backing, thereby forming a looped covering for the brush bristle in front of the said backing member.

A brush of any suitable design such as apaint brush of 1/2. to 3 inches in width which are commonly used has the handle thereof secured to the backing member by staples or other suitable means. By pressing against the brush handle the backing member, which is usually of a somewhat ilexible material, such as cardboard, is depressed at that point, and the size of the loop of the bristle cover increases somewhat, thereby making it readily slidable in an upward direction within the slots of the backing member.

Referring now to the drawings and to a specific embodiment of my invention, it can be seen that a backing member lo of cardboard or other suitable material isv provided with a pair of substantially parallel elongated slots 11 and 12. These slots are preferably of equal length, and the distance between them may be equal to, or slightly greater than, the width of the brush bristle 13. Thus the brushv lies between the slots, and the handle 14 thereof may be secured to the backing member 10 by staples 15 or other suitable means.

The brush bristles are normally covered by a flexible transparent shield 18 which, as shown in Figure 1, is slidable within slots 11 and 12 by an upward pressure of the users thumb. While this is done, the other hand of the user will press against the brush handle 14 so as to somewhat depress the backing member 10 at that point, and the bristle cover 18 will then not press so hard against the brush bristle 13 and ferrule 20.

The length of the flexible transparent. bristle cover must, of course, be greater than the length of the exposed brush bristle 13, and when in its uppermost position shown in Figure 2 will leave the bristle 13 and a portion of the ferrule 20 completely exposed. Thus the elongated slots 11 and 12 must be at least twice as long as the brush bristle.

The transverse ends of the transparent bristle cover are joined together in the rear of the backing member in a suitable fashion such as that illustrated in Figure 3. In this instance, slots 24 are die-cut in the bristle cover blank, and the other end of the blank is provided with tongue members 25 which lit within these die-cut slots.

The advantages of this device should now be readily apparent in that it allows a prospective purchaser to raise the bristle cover and inspect the quality of the bristle without having the bristle exposed to constant handling.-

Moreover, the display device may be provided with holes 29 at the top thereof so that the dealer may hang the same in an appropriate place, or the user may hang it to a suitable wall thereby providing himself with a permanent brush holder which will accompany his purchase of the brush.

Although I have described preferred embodiments of my novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be obvious to those skilled in the art, and I 3, prefer therefore to be limited not by the specific disclosure herein but only by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A brush package and display device comprising a backing member having therein a pair of substantially parallel spaced elongated slots defining a bridging panel ltherebetween; a brush having a handle disposed on said bridging panel; means for securing the brush handle to the backing member; bristle covering means comprising a sheet of llexible transparent material enclosing said l0 bristles and bridging member and slidable in said slots and having the ends thereof joined together behind said bridging member thereby forming a looped shield for the brush bristles in front of said bridging panel; said shield having a length less than the length of the slots thereby 15 4 enabling it to slide from a position over said bristles to a position exposing said bristles.

2. The brush holder as set forth in claim 1 in which the backing member is of cardboard, the ends of the bristle covering means are provided with tongue and slot means for joining them together and the elongated slots are of substantially equal length.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNiTED STATES PATENTS 1,182,809 Sonn May 9, 1916 1,734,032 Evans Nov. 5, 1929 2,234,531 Mealey Mar. l1, 1941 

